Daily round-up, Aug 16: No decision on when DPM Wong will become PM; deadly fire in Jurong East; pay raise for MOE teachers

Let's get you up to speed with the day's stories.

No decision yet on when DPM Wong will take over as Prime Minister, but it could be before next election

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in an interview with Bloomberg News that no decision has been made on when he will take over from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, but it could be before the next General Election.

The next election must be held no later than November 2025.

On the economy, Mr Wong said Singapore's inflation is expected to peak toward the end of the year, and that it could settle at a higher rate.

In the interview, he also spoke on US-China relations, on whether Singapore will be able to have a leader who is not ethnically Chinese, and on Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises sex between men.

1 killed, 2 flats damaged in Jurong East fire; affected residents will have alternative accommodation arranged

One resident was killed and three others were rescued from the early morning fire at a Jurong East housing block, which took five hours to extinguish fully. 

Two units were damaged in the blaze.

The Housing and Development Board and Jurong-Clementi Town Council are working to secure alternative accommodation for residents in the affected units, MP Grace Fu said.

Residents in the units near the affected flats told CNA they too, were worried about damage to their homes. 

MOE teachers, allied educators to get salary increase of up to 10% from Oct 1

Ministry of Education (MOE) teachers, allied educators and MOE kindergarten educators will receive a salary increase of 5 per cent to 10 per cent from Oct 1. The pay increase will benefit about 35,000 education officers, 1,600 allied educators and 800 MOE kindergarten educators.

The payouts under a 30-year retention scheme for teachers, known as the CONNECT Plan, will also be raised.

Teachers who do not hold key personnel appointments could also be eligible for a higher salary ceiling from next year, with the creation of a new general education officer (GEO) 5A substantive grade.

Malaysia’s Federal Court rejects Najib’s bid to postpone SRC international appeal hearing

Malaysia’s Federal Court has dismissed a request by former prime minister Najib Razak to adjourn the hearing of his final appeal against a guilty verdict in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case. 

The chief justice noted that considerable public funds would be wasted if granting an adjournment was an easier option, and ruled that the hearing would start this Thursday. 

Divorce and women: Why prenuptial agreements are becoming more common and what to know about it

A prenuptial agreement - or pre-nup - is a legal document which a couple draws up before their marriage to decide how they should divide their assets in the event of a divorce. They are also becoming more common among millennials. 

While it can be tricky and sensitive to think about divorce - especially in the weeks before the wedding - it's important to be protected from acrimony, expensive legal bills and drawn-out court proceedings that would inevitably arise from a contested divorce, said one expert.

CNA Women talks to family lawyers to find out what you should know about it, and under what circumstances a woman might benefit from a prenup.